The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Telangana): In response to the controversial closure report by the Telangana Police regarding the 2016 death of PhD scholar Rohith Vemula, Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal declared on Sunday that the Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s administration is determined to deliver justice for Vemula’s family. Rohith Vemula tragically ended his life in January 2016.
Venugopal underscored the Congress party’s dedication to enacting a Rohith Vemula Act, aimed at eradicating caste and communal violence on educational campuses, should they come to power after the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “Rohith Vemula’s tragic death shed light on the prevalent anti-Dalit bias within the BJP. The Congress, with Rahul Gandhi at the forefront, has consistently supported the Vemula family during these trying times. Despite the closure report’s finalization in June 2023, it contained several investigative errors. Our government in Telangana is committed to doing everything possible to ensure the Vemula family receives justice,” Venugopal shared via his X account.
He emphasized that the proposed Rohith Vemula Act would protect students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds from suffering similar fates due to caste or communal discrimination on college campuses.
Vemula, who was a PhD candidate at Hyderabad Central University, reportedly took his own life following disciplinary measures by the university. The initial police report dismissed claims of Vemula belonging to the SC community and concluded his death as a suicide in March.
Telangana’s DGP Ravi Gupta recently announced plans to petition for further investigation into the case, correcting the previous closure that had been lodged in court in March 2024. This decision for renewed inquiry comes shortly after the initial closure report was submitted, highlighting ongoing concerns surrounding the circumstances of Vemula’s death.
